Twelve years on, we still never forget
by TwilightIsn'tLiterature
Summary: A one-shot on the events of Nine/Eleven in New York City, twelve years ago. Kairi reminisces about her father. The memories they shared, the events he's missed. How he felt that day, how she felt when her family was ripped apart. R.I.P to all the victims of that day. We will never forget.


**Okay, it's getting to a certain day of the year again. I thought I'd try to write something to pay a little respect. I was 8 years old when this happened, and I knew my nan and grandad were on holiday in New York. At the time it happened, I thought they were still there. Luckily enough they left two days before and visited a nearby country as soon as they landed back in the UK. Some weren't so lucky. R.I.P x3  
**  
I still remember that day. That one day. The date is encrypted into the whole worlds minds. Tuesday 11th September 2001. It just seemed like any other day. Any other regular day. I'd go to school with Namine, you would go to work and mum would stay home and do the housework and look after my baby sister Xion. Day in day out. We had planned that day to go buy mum a birthday present together as the working day ended. I was only 9 at the time. You dropped us off at school, and at that moment I never thought in a million years that that would be the last time I saw your face. The last time I hugged you, the last time I smelt your cologne and had your stubbly face kiss my cheek. Me, Namine and mum always used to complain about that and tell you to shave it again. But when you did, you'd always come out of the bathroom with small patches of toilet tissue stuck to your face because you cut yourself. We always laughed together. There was never a dull moment in our family before you were taken from us.  
That day you handed me and Namine our school bags, we got out of your car and off we went into school.  
"See you after school dad!" I shouted from the door at you. You just smiled at me and waved. After you watched us go into school, you drove to work.

My father worked at one of the biggest places ever. Two incredibly tall towers reigned over the city of New York.  
You took me and Namine there when we were young once. They were the biggest skyscrapers I'd ever seen. You even took us to the very top and we were able to look though the binoculars. We could see the entire city from where we were. Everyone down below looked smaller than ants.

_'I'm higher than the sky!'_ I remember myself shouting. After, you took us down to your office on the 89th floor. I had a go on your spinny chair, and for the entire day, I wouldn't leave the chair. I remember fighting with Namine over it, but one of your friends leant us his one so we'd stop arguing. We made you sit on a _boring_ chair as I called it, whilst I had the fun on your one. You had some calls to make, and Namine and I were left to stare out of the window. I could see my school from where we were. Right after you finished, we went and played catch in the park. I wasn't much of a girly girl. I liked sporty things. I still do now. Namine was the girly girl one. She loved reading and drawing. As we played catch that day, Namine sat on the bench and read her book.  
Sometimes I sit here with Namine on my bedroom floor reminiscing the days you were here. We have photo albums from all the fun times we shared. Our trips out of the city I still remember. We went to the beach and you chased us around pretending to be a shark.  
That day I bidded Namine farewell as she went off to her class, I entered my empty classroom and sat at my desk. In my bag I had a small sketchbook. I'd sit there and doodle in it as I waited for my friends. I shared the love for drawing just like Namine did. I showed you my sketchbook once, you thought they were brilliant. I told you when I was younger I wanted to be a teacher. I'd always boss you around pretending to be one. Namine and I always used to play schools too. Namine loved animals when she was younger. She always said she wanted to be a vet when she grew up. I remember playing vets with her when we were little. We'd use our stuffed animal toys as the patients and we'd get you to play too. You'd never say no.  
As the morning progressed, 9.00am came around. Our class teacher was called to the door of our classroom by our headteacher. There was silence as the whole class tried to listen in. But we couldn't hear. They were whispering really quietly. I saw my teacher put a hand over her mouth as if she heard something awful. I looked on out of my classroom window, and saw smoke in the distance. At that moment, I thought nothing of it. I didn't see where the smoke was coming from. Our teacher closed the door and slowly walked back over to her desk and sat in silence.  
"What's wrong miss?" called a boy in my class. Our teacher looked up.  
"We have some very bad news children..." she spoke. She sounded like she was about to cry. Just then a voice came over the tannoy in our school.  
"Attention all students and teachers. Due to unforseen circumstances and safety, curricular lessons and activities have been canceled. A message is going out to parents, so please remain in your classes for your parent or guardian" the voice said. She sounded hurt. Like she was trying not to cry. The whole class cheered "Yes!" in delight. A day off of school! None of us knew it, but a plane had crashed into your tower. Just below your office. The whole world was beginning to know about it. The whole world was watching New York. Where you were, it was complete havoc. Smoke filled your lungs and everyone else's, almost choking you all to death. You all broke windows to let in fresh air. I don't know how you were able to be there as your work colleagues jumped from the windows. They'd rather jump than risk being burnt alive. The thought of it makes me want to cry. You stuck it out though. You were brave. You helped others from floors below you. You helped them to the stairway. My mum calls you our hero. When Namine and I were 17, she told us what you said to her on the phone of that awful morning. We were old enough to understand it all. To tell the honest truth, we broke down in tears at that moment and buried our heads and tears into mothers arms.

As you turned around to look for more people to help, you saw a huge explosion from the other tower. Everyone around you panicked whilst you stood there and watched. I can't begin to imagine what that was like. You must have been so scared dad, I know I would have been. But you put on a brave face.  
Nanna picked me and Namine up from school and bought us home. She had the exact same facial expression as the teachers. Worried and shocked, but she tried to hide it. We soon arrived home and I found mum staring at the television. Grandad, Grandpa and Grandma were there with her. Your brother was there with her too. He was on the floor keeping Xion entertained. She was only two, she didn't know what was going on.  
"Mum? What's going on?" I said in a small timid voice as we stood at the front room door. She looked over to me. "Hey girls!" she called as she came running over to us and cuddled us both tightly.  
"Where's dad?" Namine mumbled. My mother slowly let us go and looked at me and Namine with a tear in her eye.  
"Somethings happened this morning, but I don't want you to get upset about it"  
I stood there confused. She stood up and she took both me and Namine into the kitchen and placed us on the counter. She explained everything. We were old enough to understand, but I didn't understand why this happened. I didn't know if Namine did.  
"I've spoken to your father, he's fine. Hes just waiting for firemen to help them down out of the tower.

Just then, the house phone rang. Mother picked it up straight away. It was father on the phone. He called to check we were okay. He was so caring and always put others before himself. That's just the kind of man he was. I was handed the phone.  
"Hey Red" he called. That was my nickname because of my long red hair.  
"Dad! Whats going on?" I asked in confusion. I head him sigh at the other end of the call.  
"Everything is going to be fine Red. I'll be home before you know it." he said in a cheery voice.  
"Promise?"  
"Promise. Besides, we still need to get your mother a birthday present." he said with eagerness. I smiled and my mind was put at ease.  
"Okay dad. I did some more drawings today. I can't wait to show them to you."  
"I look forward to it sweetheart." he said in his kind voice.  
"Okay, Namine wants to speak to you! Bye dad!"  
"Bye" he whispered as I passed the phone to Namine.  
"Hey daddy! When are you coming home? I found a book I want to read you!" Namine squealed in delight.  
"I'll be home soon Blondie. Don't you worry"  
I heard everything you said to Namine. You told us not to worry.  
"Namine, can you hand me back to your mother? I'll be home soon and we can read together" he said in his heartwarming voice.  
"Okay. See you later dad! Bye!"  
"Bye..."  
I never knew that was the last time we'd ever hear your voice. As Namine handed the phone back to mother, I jumped off of the counter and made my way into the living room. Namine soon followed me. Our grandparents were gathered round the television whilst my uncle was sat on the floor playing with Xion. I sat decided to sit with her and play too. Namine went and sat with Grandma. You were going to be fine. You promised me. I suddenly heard a crashing noise come from the tv. My grandparents gasped and cried in shock. I turned my head and I saw my father's building come crashing down to the ground. It took 10 seconds to completely disintegrate. My eyes watered up at the sight. Pretty soon my mother came running in with tears in her eyes and she ran to her mother and father and hugged them tight.  
"He's gone" I heard her whisper in her sobs. I stared at the tv as they showed the center of the city being engulfed in ash and office papers. Namine and I looked at eachother. We still believed there was some chance you'd come home.  
At that moment your tower came crashing down, you must have been petrified. Wondered what was happening, then to see everything around you collapsing and falling from a great height. Shortly after, I saw the other tower fall. All that was left of your workplace, was a huge pile of rubble and iron rods. I wanted to cry, I looked over at my mother who was still in a tight embrace with her parents, and Namine, who was cuddled up to your mother. I went running over to my sister and they gladly let me join. We prayed you would be okay. We prayed and prayed.  
A few hours later, a police officer came to our door. My mother went outside as Namine and I watched from the window. He told her the news, and she fell to the floor in heartbreak. She cried and cried as her father tried lifting her to her feet and comforting her. It wasn't something a 9 year old was meant to see. But at that moment I understood. My father was dead. You weren't coming home. I wouldn't be able to show my new drawings to you. Namine understood. She wouldn't be able to read to you like she wanted to. I remember us grasping onto eachother and not letting go.

They found you in the end and we had a big funeral for you a few months after. Christmas and birthday's aren't the same anymore. I turned 21 this year and I'm soon to be married to my fiance. Namine turned 21 too. She's doing great. She finished uni a few months ago and works in a Vets' surgery. Like she always wanted to. Your youngest is 15 now and acts just like you did. She's old enough to understand and asks about you all the time. Mother always tells her how wonderful you were. How much of a loving father you were. How you looked out for us. The fun times we had. The times we'd play catch in the park. Our outings. It's just hurtful to know that you never got to see us graduate from senior school to college, then go graduate from Uni. You won't be able to give me away when I get married. Though, even know you're not with us, I know you're still watching over us all. I'll be sure to let your grandchildren know how much of a brilliant man you were. You'd be proud to know I achieved an A* in art in my last year of college dad. Also that I've received a diploma at university for teaching. I'm a fully fledged teacher dad! I hope you're proud of me! You always told us never to give up. I never forgot those words you said to me. I wish the events of that day seist to exist. I'm sure everyone does.

I will never forget my father. Rest In Peace.  
My thoughts go out to the innocent people and families affected on that awful day.  
11.9.01 - We will never forget. 

**This was the first time I've done something like this, I hope you liked it. :) Leave a review if you liked it. :)  
****R.I.P**


End file.
